Actions from Omar ShamoutMovable Type Pro 4.382013-02-01T13:50:23Zhttp://www.kcet.org/cgi-bin/mt/mt-cp.cgi?__mode=feed&_type=actions&username=oshamoutPosted 'Royal Wedding' in Classic Cool Context to Classic Cool Theatertag:www.kcet.org,2013:/shows/classic_cool_theater//1762.558672013-02-01T21:50:23Z2013-03-19T19:03:46ZGet the story behind Jane Powell's starring role in the 1951 music "Royal Wedding."Omar Shamouthttp://www.kcet.org/cgi-bin/mt/mt-cp.cgi?__mode=view&blog_id=1762&id=7164This Saturday at 9 p.m., KCET brings you the 1951 musical, "Royal Wedding," starring Fred Astaire and Jane Powell as siblings who are traveling to London after the success of their Broadway show. This is the latest entry in KCET's "Classic Cool Theater" series, which aims to give you not only a great film but also a vintage cartoon, two newsreels and an of-the-era musical number. All those extras add up to what makes "Classic Cool Theater" so special: context. In the spirit of this unique package, we're offering you a peek at the America -- and the Los Angeles -- that received "Royal Wedding" on March 23, 1951.

Jane Powell's sweet, soprano voice still echoes in the ears of musical aficionados worldwide. Cast throughout her career is the innocent, doe-eyed, girl next door, Powell epitomized wholesome Americana to audiences across the world.

Born Suzanne Lorraine Burce in Portland, Ore., in 1929, she was dubbed "Jane Powell" by MGM after the name of the character in her very first movie: 1946's "Song of the Open Road." Her role in "Royal Wedding" was originally earmarked for June Allyson, who had to drop out when she became pregnant. MGM then opted for Judy Garland, who never showed up to rehearsals, leading to the actress' third suspension at the studio. Garland actually attempted suicide shortly after.

Powell plays Fred Astaire's sister in "Royal Wedding," a film that follows a remarkably similar story line to Astaire's actual life. You can read more about Fred Astaire in a previous "Web Extras" feature here. Powell's most famous role came three years after the release of "Royal Wedding." Watch her sing, "When You're in Love," from the classic "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" below:

While Powell wasn't nominated for an Academy Award for her acting in "Royal Wedding," Burton Lane and Alan Jay Lerner's song, "Too Late Now," did nab the film's lone Oscar nomination.

When Louis B. Mayer left MGM in 1955, the era of the movie-musical was on the way out due to the rising popularity of rock-n-roll music among America's youth, who also happened to be the nation's primary movie-goers. No single artist signified this shift in musical taste more than Elvis Presley.

Young people no longer wanted movies like "Royal Wedding." Instead, they wanted "Jailhouse Rock."

So Powell, like many others, began a long variety television career in the 1960s.
She actually shot a pilot episode for a T.V. series called "The Jane Powell Show" in 1961, but it never aired. Here's a scene:

Take a Closer Look Back

Sarah Churchill, daughter of the famed British Prime Minister, appears in "Royal Wedding." Unfortunately for MGM executives, they were expressly forbidden to mention this fact when marketing the film.

Only six years removed from V-E Day, World War II was still fresh in the memory of American society when the film was released. Los Angeles was home to many war veterans, though some were more obvious than others.

Meet Pooli, a cat who served aboard a U.S. attack transport during the war. Here's Pooli on her 15th birthday in 1959 sporting her three service ribbons and four battle stars:

http://digital2.library.ucla.edu/viewItem.do?ark=21198/zz0002qbjp

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Posted 'Happy Go Lovely,' in Classic Cool Context to Classic Cool Theatertag:www.kcet.org,2013:/shows/classic_cool_theater//1762.554882013-01-26T01:14:27Z2013-01-26T01:27:35ZVera-Ellen and Cesar Romero star in the 1951 classic "Happy Go Lovely," but Vera-Ellen's life wasn't always so easy going. Get the history you won't see in this week's Classic Cool Theater selection.Omar Shamouthttp://www.kcet.org/cgi-bin/mt/mt-cp.cgi?__mode=view&blog_id=1762&id=7164This Saturday at 9 p.m., KCET brings you the 1951 musical comedy, "Happy Go Lovely," which stars Vera-Ellen as a chorus girl given top billing in a broke producer's show after rumors link her with a Scottish millionaire. The film was directed by H. Bruce Humberstone and also stars David Niven and Cesar Romero. This is the latest entry in KCET's "Classic Cool Theater" series, which aims to give you not only a great film but also a vintage cartoon, two newsreels and an of-the-era musical number. All those extras add up to what makes "Classic Cool Theater" so special: context. In the spirit of this unique package, we're offering you a peek at the America -- and the Los Angeles -- that received "Happy Go Lovey" on July 25, 1951.

Though she stood only 5 feet, 4 inches tall with a waist that measured a mere 20 inches, Vera-Ellen was full of charm and grace evident both in her personality and dancing style.

In the book, "Vera-Ellen: The Magic and Mystery," film historian David Soren says many industry insiders considered Ellen to be "the greatest dancer of her generation," better even than Ginger Rogers. Soren concludes that Ellen "should have been one of Broadway and Hollywood's most enduring stars." Unfortunately, "should" is the key word in that sentence. Despite memorable performances in films like "Words and Music," "Call Me Madam," and "White Christmas," Ellen vanished from the silver screen after appearing in "Let's Be Happy" in 1957 at the age of 36.

That's partly because audiences grew tired of movie musicals in favor of more dramatic fare, but personal issues are primarily to blame. Ellen battled severe arthritis as well as anorexia that led to premature aging of her body. She also suffered clinical depression following two failed marriages and the death of her only child to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome in 1963.

Vera-Ellen divorced her first husband, fellow dancer Robert Hightower, in 1946 after a three-year marriage. An AP wire story at the time reported that Ellen claimed Hightower "ridiculed her art ... was extremely temperamental," and that his mood swings caused her "great fear and mental depression."

In 1954, Ellen married her second husband, Lord Victor Rothschild, of the famous banking dynasty. Rothschild's multi-faceted life as a scientist, politician, cricketer, banker, oilman and alleged Soviet spy contains enough intrigue to fill several volumes. His family name is routinely brought up in "Illuminati" conspiracy theories. Rothschild and Ellen divorced in 1966. The couple's daughter, Victoria Ellen, died while only three months old.

Ellen retreated from public life for the next 15 years before dying of cancer in Los Angeles. She was 60 years old.

Take a Closer Look Back

Ellen wasn't the only former Broadway star to appear in "Happy Go Lovely." Best known for his later turn as "The Joker" in the 1960s T.V. series "Batman," Cesar Romero was already an international heartthrob at the time of the film's release.

In 1946, 20th Century Fox chief Daryl Zanuck sent Romero and his good friend, Tyrone Power on a 10-week goodwill tour of 24 Latin American countries. The duo were swarmed with fans wherever they went and greeted by heads of state.

Romero (right) stands in front of Power's plane after the pair arrived back in Los Angeles. Image via UCLA Archives.

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Posted 'The Inspector General' in Classic Cool Context to Classic Cool Theatertag:www.kcet.org,2013:/shows/classic_cool_theater//1762.553162013-01-18T21:35:48Z2013-01-18T21:44:57ZBorn David Daniel Kaminsky to Ukrainian Jewish immigrants in 1913, Danny Kaye's portrayal of the lovable charlatan, "Georgi," in "The inspector General" is a reminder of the performer's Eastern European roots.Omar Shamouthttp://www.kcet.org/cgi-bin/mt/mt-cp.cgi?__mode=view&blog_id=1762&id=7164This Saturday at 9 p.m., KCET brings you the 1948 musical comedy, "The Inspector General," which stars Danny Kaye as a wandering Gypsy who winds up the target of an assassination plot when the inhabitants of a small town mistake him for the tax collector. The film also stars Walter Slezak and Elsa Lanchester. This is the latest entry in KCET's "Classic Cool Theater" series, which aims to give you not only a great film but also a vintage cartoon, two newsreels and an of-the-era musical number. All those extras add up to what makes "Classic Cool Theater" so special: context. In the spirit of this unique package, we're offering you a peek at the America -- and the Los Angeles -- that received "The Inspector General" on Dec. 31, 1949.
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Born David Daniel Kaminsky to Ukrainian Jewish immigrants in 1913, Danny Kaye's portrayal of the lovable charlatan, "Georgi," in "The inspector General" is a reminder of the performer's Eastern European roots.

But it was another nod to the motherland that put Danny Kaye on many people's radar eight years earlier. In 1941, he starred on Broadway in Kurt Weill and Ira Gershwin's musical "Lady in the Dark." During the song "Tchaikovsky," Kaye wowed theater audiences by rattling off the names of around 50 Russian and Polish composers in 38 seconds.

Here's Kaye performing the number on his radio program, "The Danny Kaye Show," which aired between 1945-46.

Perhaps the only thing with more syllables than that list was the one detailing Kaye's talents. The multi-hyphenate entertainer was best known for comedy, but he had wonderful dramatic range too.

One of his most famous performances was in the 1981 television movie, "Skokie," in which he played an elderly Holocaust survivor.

A Brooklyn boy at heart, Kaye was a lifelong Dodgers fan. Despite his allegiance, Kaye became one of the original owners of the Seattle Mariners in 1977. The group sold the team four years later.

Kaye loved the Dodgers so much he even recorded an ode to the "boys in blue" during the 1962 pennant race called, fittingly, "D-O-D-G-E-R-S Song."

The original recording also included a B-side featuring Kaye's faux-Japanese take on the classic poem, "Casey at the bat." Kaye's version was titled "Myti Kaysi at the bat."

Take a closer look back

Unfortunately for Kaye, he was suspected by the F.B.I. of being a different kind of dodger in 1944: a draft dodger. Despite performing for U.S. troops overseas during WWII on numerous occasions, Kaye was investigated by the bureau for lying about an illness to avoid serving in the U.S. Armed Forces. Charges were never brought, however.

The entire 70-page F.B.I. file of the investigation can be found here.

In 1947, Kaye and a cadre of other Hollywood celebrities, including Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall, traveled to Washington D.C. to protest the conduct of the House Un-American Affairs Committee, led by Sen. Joseph McCarthy.

Kaye, pictured at Los Angeles Airport ticket counter, is the man standing with his face obscured:

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Posted 'Father's Little Dividend' in Classic Cool Context to Classic Cool Theatertag:www.kcet.org,2012:/shows/classic_cool_theater//1762.543292012-12-28T20:25:12Z2012-12-28T20:43:47ZSpencer Tracy reprises his role from the classic comedy "Father of the Bride," but Tracy's actual family life was less than ideal.Omar Shamouthttp://www.kcet.org/cgi-bin/mt/mt-cp.cgi?__mode=view&blog_id=1762&id=7164This Saturday at 9 p.m., KCET brings you the1951 comedy "Father's Little Dividend," directed by Vincente Minnelli. This sequel to "Father of the Bride" follows Spencer Tracy, Elizabeth Taylor and Joan Bennett as they prepare for the arrival of a new addition to the Banks family. This is the latest entry in KCET's "Classic Cool Theater" series, which aims to give you not only a great film but also a vintage cartoon, two newsreels and an of-the-era musical number. All those extras add up to what makes "Classic Cool Theater" so special: context. In the spirit of this unique package, we're offering you a peek at the America -- and the Los Angeles -- that received "Father's Little Dividend" on April 27, 1951.

Audiences in 1951 flocked to theaters to once again watch Spencer Tracy play lovable family man "Stanley Banks" in "Father's Little Dividend." But his off-screen life was not nearly as idyllic or funny as it was in the movies.

After first starring as Banks in 1950's "Father of the Bride," Tracy was already a Hollywood legend. With two Academy Awards for Best Actor under his belt, there were few actors that could rival his fame and career. But as it often does, success did not breed marital bliss for Tracy and his wife, Louise Treadwell. Married since 1923, Tracy and Treadwell met while they were both actors in the Leonard West Players in White Plains, New York.

A prolific philanthropist throughout their marriage, Mrs. Tracy started, with the financial backing of her husband, the John Tracy Clinic in 1943. Still in existence to this day, its purpose is help deaf children such as her son John, for whom the charity was named.

Here's a video produced by the clinic documenting its early days:

Almost immediately after their son's diagnosis, the relationship between Tracy and Treadwell got rocky. Treadwell focused all her attention on helping baby John, while Tracy's wandering eye led to numerous affairs with co-stars such as Ingrid Bergman, Joan Crawford, and most famously, Katherine Hepburn, whom he met on the set of "Woman of the Year" in 1941. Their relationship spanned 26 years until Tracy's death in 1967. The not-so-secret couple made a total of nine films together.

It was Tracy's devotion to his son and daughter, along with his strong Catholic faith, that reportedly kept him from seeking a divorce.

Tracy's religious upbringing crossed over into his film career in 1938 when he portrayed a Catholic priest named "Father Flanagan" in "Boys Town." Tracy won his second-straight Best Actor Oscar for the performance:

Tracy's guilt over his infidelity, coupled with alcoholism and insomnia, caused him much pain and suffering throughout his life. In her 1992 autobiography, Hepburn wrote that Tracy was "never at peace," and "tortured by some sort of guilt. Some terrible misery."

Take a Closer Look Back

"Father's Little Dividend" follows the trials and tribulations of the Banks family before and after their daughter gives birth to a baby boy.

As this video from the 1950s shows, inventors of the era had some off-the-wall ideas about the future of child care.

For some reason, this robotic nursery system didn't quite catch on:

"Father's Little Dividend" was partially remade in 1995 with "Father of the Bride, Part II," though that film incorporated new plot elements. Steve Martin played the Spencer Tracy role, as he had in the 1991 "Father of the Bride," which adhered more closely to the original.

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Posted 'Borderline' in Classic Cool Context to Classic Cool Theatertag:www.kcet.org,2012:/shows/classic_cool_theater//1762.542922012-12-21T22:38:57Z2012-12-21T22:44:54ZRaymond Burr stars in this noir gem, but how did he evolve from bit player to character actor to TV leading man? Find out!Omar Shamouthttp://www.kcet.org/cgi-bin/mt/mt-cp.cgi?__mode=view&blog_id=1762&id=7164This Saturday at 9 p.m., KCET brings you the 1950 film noir, "Borderline," about two undercover cops infiltrating a drug-smuggling ring from Mexico. It stars Fred MacMurray, Claire Trevor and Raymond Burr. This is the latest entry in KCET's "Classic Cool Theater" series, which aims to give you not only a great film but also a vintage cartoon, two newsreels and an of-the-era musical number. All those extras add up to what makes "Classic Cool Theater" so special: context. In the spirit of this unique package, we're offering you a peek at the America -- and the Los Angeles -- that received "Borderline" on March 1, 1950.

"Borderline" baddy Raymond Burr is probably best known for his role as "Perry Mason" in the popular CBS series for which he won three Emmys. However, show creator Erle Stanley Gardner came close to casting one of Burr's "Borderline" co-stars as the brilliant defense attorney. Fred MacMurray, equally famous for his light-hearted Disney characters as for his darker turns in "Double Indemnity" and "Pushover," was a finalist for the part until Gardner allowed veteran character actor Burr to test for the lead. Burr wowed Gardner and wound up portraying "Mason" on the small screen for nine seasons, from 1957-1966.

Here's the screen test that won Burr the role. The part of "Della" eventually went to Barbara Hale.

After "Perry Mason," Burr would always be linked with a courtroom. He made fun of that reputation by playing a judge in the 1982 spoof, "Airplane II: The Sequel."

Watch for Burr at the 1:06 mark:

Burr's road to leading-man status was long and grueling. He made his name playing ominous heavies, but it was his heavy-set frame that led talent agents to tell him he'd never make it in Hollywood in the mid 1940s. Then in his late 20s, the Canadian-born Burr had been husky since he was a kid.

Burr drastically altered his diet for six months, reportedly eating only 750 calories a day. Afterwards, the slim-and-trim, 210-pound actor got his break as a bit part in the 1946 Claudette Colbert film, "Without Reservations."

He spent the next decade or so playing creepy characters such as the threatening district attorney in "A Place in the Sun," and the shy wife-murderer in "Rear Window."

Burr did put some of the weight back on during his later "Perry Mason" days, and in his follow-up series, "Ironside."

Burr married actress Isabella Ward in 1949 and the couple divorced in 1952. He fabricated two other marriages and a child to cover up his homosexual relationship with Robert Benevides, whom he met on the set of "Perry Mason." The relationship lasted until Burr's death in 1993. Benevides named the vineyard they operated together after his deceased partner:

The Mexican drug war has splashed gory headlines across newspapers for the past several years. But as "Borderline" shows, drugs were a very real problem in the 1950s too.

Check out this drug-awareness video from a bygone era. The animations at 1:58 are particularly inventive:

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Posted 'Impact' in Classic Cool Context to Classic Cool Theatertag:www.kcet.org,2012:/shows/classic_cool_theater//1762.541472012-12-14T18:58:49Z2012-12-14T19:03:49ZBrian Donlevy may not be a household name today, but in 1949 he was known for leaving his mark on the noir genre. Learn more about this star of "Impact," this week's Classic Cool Theater feature.Omar Shamouthttp://www.kcet.org/cgi-bin/mt/mt-cp.cgi?__mode=view&blog_id=1762&id=7164This Saturday at 9 p.m., KCET brings you, "Impact," the 1949 film noir about a man trying to escape a dangerous love triangle starring Brian Donlevy, Ella Raines and Helen Walker. This is the latest entry in KCET's "Classic Cool Theater" series, which aims to give you not only a great film but also a vintage cartoon, two newsreels and an of-the-era musical number. All those extras add up to what makes "Classic Cool Theater" so special: context. In the spirit of this unique package, we're offering you a peek at the America -- and the Los Angeles -- that received "Impact" on March 20, 1949.

If you read a newspaper article about an actor that claimed, "Any consideration of the American 'film noir' of the 1940s would be incomplete without him," who would you think the author was talking about? Raymond Burr? Maybe. Robert Mitchum? Possibly. Humphrey Bogart? Certainly.

If you were reading the obituary of Brian Donlevy from England's The Times circa April 1972, then you'd be wrong. The British paper made that bold pronouncement upon the death of the "Impact" star. Oddly enough, Donlevy's Hollywood career began when he was cast as the henchman of another film noir icon: Edward G. Robinson.

That's not the strange part.

What's interesting is that the movie was Howard Hawks' 1935 western, "Barbary Coast."

Here's a clip featuring both actors. As Robinson walks down the stairs, Donlevy is on his left at the :04 mark:

A decade before the release of "Impact," Donlevy received an Academy Award nomination for his evil supporting turn opposite Gary Cooper in the drama "Beau Geste." Donlevy lost out to Thomas Mitchell for his performance in "Stagecoach."

Though he often played a villain or tough guy, Donlevv was a versatile actor with great range. His films spanned multiple genres too. Donlevy starred in Preston Sturges' 1940 comedy, "The Great McGinty," the 1942 military-actioner, "Wake Island," and the campy British science-fiction film, "The Quatermass Xperiment," plus its sequel too.

That film was released in the U.S. as "The Creeping Unknown":

Take a Closer Look Back

Later in his acting career, Donlevy made numerous guest appearances on television shows such as "Perry Mason," "Family Affair," and "Rawhide." But in 1949, when "Impact" was released, TV was quite a new fad. As this picture from the Los Angeles Times shows, teenagers would gather for "television parties" so they could experience the thrilling new technology together.

The picture's caption included the line, "Parents approve the new idea."

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Posted 'The Fabulous Dorseys,' in Classic Cool Context to Classic Cool Theatertag:www.kcet.org,2012:/shows/classic_cool_theater//1762.538132012-12-07T19:15:36Z2012-12-07T23:29:30ZGet the history behind the famous Dorsey brothers, whose big band partnership couldn't withstand the pressures of fame.Omar Shamouthttp://www.kcet.org/cgi-bin/mt/mt-cp.cgi?__mode=view&blog_id=1762&id=7164This Saturday at 9 p.m., KCET brings you the 1947 semi-biographical musical, "The Fabulous Dorseys," starring world-renowned big-band musicians, Jimmy and Tommy Dorsey. This is the latest entry in KCET's "Classic Cool Theater" series, which aims to give you not only a great film but also a vintage cartoon, two newsreels and an of-the-era musical number. All those extras add up to what makes "Classic Cool Theater" so special: context. In the spirit of this unique package, we're offering you a peek at the America -- and the Los Angeles -- that received "The Fabulous Dorseys" on February 21, 1947.

Long before Noel and Liam Gallagher of "Oasis" made sibling rivalry cool again, Jimmy Dorsey and his younger brother Tommy were the original bad brothers of pop music. With Jimmy on the clarinet and alto saxophone, and Tommy on the trombone and trumpet, the brothers performed in various bands together since they were teenagers. But the famed Dorsey Brothers Orchestra broke up after Jimmy and Tommy got into a violent argument at the Glen Island Casino in New Rochelle, New York on Memorial Day, 1935.

The duo didn't perform in the same band again until 1953 -- except for their roles in "The Fabulous Dorseys." The brothers' off-stage reconciliation in the mid-1940s led to their on-screen collaboration in the film.

By the time "The Fabulous Dorseys" was released in 1947, big-band music was on the decline, and vocal performers were becoming more popular in mainstream music. In 1939, Jimmy Dorsey hired singer Helen O'Connell to accompany his orchestra. Hear O'Connell jive talk in one of their first tunes together, "Man, That's Groovy":

Coincidentally, the brothers played a major role in changing the landscape of American music forever. In 1956, the brothers gave a young musician by the name of Elvis Presley his big break on their short-lived CBS program, "The Dorsey Brothers Stage Show." Presley's performance was such a success that he played on the show five more times over the following two months.

Sadly, Tommy died unexpectedly in his sleep that November at the age of 51. Jimmy, 53, passed away from cancer only a few months later.

Take a Closer Look Back

In addition to Sen. Joseph McCarthy's Communist witch-hunt and the infamous "blacklist," 1947 was filled with fear and anger in Hollywood. The post-war years were tough on veterans too, of which there were many in Los Angeles and the movie industry. Among them was William Lundigan, who appeared in "The Fabulous Dorseys" after enlisting in the U.S. Marines as a combat cameraman.

A group of vets gathered in MacArthur Park that January to protest their lack of housing upon returning from war:

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Posted 'Something to Sing About' in Classic Cool Context to Classic Cool Theatertag:www.kcet.org,2012:/shows/classic_cool_theater//1762.534472012-11-30T21:32:55Z2012-11-30T21:31:38ZJames Cagney stars in Victor Schetrzinger's 1937 musical comedy, "Something to Sing About," about a a New York band leader who heads to Hollywood with his wife to make it big in the moviesOmar Shamouthttp://www.kcet.org/cgi-bin/mt/mt-cp.cgi?__mode=view&blog_id=1762&id=7164This Saturday at 9 p.m., KCET brings you Victor Schetrzinger's 1937 musical comedy, "Something to Sing About," starring James Cagney as a New York band leader who heads to Hollywood with his wife, played by Evelyn Daw, to make it big in the movies. This is the latest entry in KCET's "Classic Cool Theater" series, which aims to give you not only a great film but also a vintage cartoon, two newsreels and an of-the-era musical number. All those extras add up to what makes "Classic Cool Theater" so special: context. In the spirit of this unique package, we're offering you a peek at the America -- and the Los Angeles -- that received "Something to Sing About" on September 30, 1937.

Hollywood stars have always toiled away in unglamorous jobs before making it big.

James Cagney was no different.

Growing up on New York's Lower East Side in the early 20th century, vaudeville was a natural starting point for the young entertainer.

But the future on-screen tough guy started out in one of the raunchy theater circuit's most lowbrow jobs: a female impersonator. According to the New York Times, the actor who won an Academy Award portraying gangster Rocky Sullivan in 1938's "Angels With Dirty Faces," used to dress up as a woman for money.

What makes Cagney's vaudeville past more intriguing is that his 1931 star-turning role in "The Public Enemy," features a scene where Cagney stuffs a grapefruit into co-star Mae Clarke's face. His performance was hailed by critics as an example of Cagney's range, but also criticized for its misogynist overtones:

"Something to Sing About" came at a transition point in Cagney's career. The man producer Jack Warner dubbed "The Professional Againster," left Hollywood after suing Warner Bros. for breach of contract.

He was lured back when independent studio Grand National Films offered him a lucrative deal to appear in their films "Great Guy" and "Something to Sing About."

The movies weren't successful at the box office and Cagney wound up back at Warner Bros. a year later.

But Cagney's tenacity in standing up for actor's rights led him to form his own production company in 1942 and release films through United Artists.

Considered such an effective leader by his fellow actors, Cagney was elected president of the Screen Actor's Guild in 1942. He served a two-year term. The biggest issue Cagney dealt with during his tenure was the unionization of background actors.

Here's Cagney boarding a plane in 1944 with fellow actor representatives as they head to an American Federation of Labor meeting:

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Posted 'Second Chorus' in Classic Cool Context to Classic Cool Theatertag:www.kcet.org,2012:/shows/classic_cool_theater//1762.530302012-11-21T20:53:14Z2012-11-21T21:09:48ZGet the history behind this Ginger Rogers-free Fred Astaire outing from 1941.Omar Shamouthttp://www.kcet.org/cgi-bin/mt/mt-cp.cgi?__mode=view&blog_id=1762&id=7164This Saturday at 9 p.m., KCET brings you H.C. potter's 1940 musical comedy, "Second Chorus," starring Fred Astaire and Burgess Meredith as college trumpeters who convince a bill collector to start booking them shows. Trouble arises when the two friends start getting booked against the famed Artie Shaw, and they vie for the affection of their agent, played by Paulette Goddard. This is the latest entry in KCET's "Classic Cool Theater" series, which aims to give you not only a great film but also a vintage cartoon, two newsreels and an of-the-era musical number. All those extras add up to what makes "Classic Cool Theater" so special: context. In the spirit of this unique package, we're offering you a peek at the America -- and the Los Angeles -- that received "Second Chorus" on January 3, 1941.

When Fred Astaire was first partnered with Ginger Rogers in 1933's "Flying Down to Rio," he had reservations about whether or not it was a wise career move.

The reason?

Only two years earlier, Fred's sister and long-time dancing partner, Adele, retired from show business to marry a British aristocrat. The pair had been dancing together since they were kids.

Here's Fred and Adele Astaire in a publicity photo from 1906 when he was just 7-years-old:

They became a dynamite vaudeville act, then a Broadway tandem in shows like George and Ira Gershwin's "Funny Face," helping to put that pair of siblings on the musical theatre map.

Fred took Adele's retirement hard. He was determined to move to Hollywood and prove that he could make it as a solo act. Astaire and Rogers were only cast as minor characters in "Flying Down to Rio," but their dance number was an audience favorite and the film was a hit at the box office.

The rest is history. Moviegoers in the 1930s flocked to see Rogers and Astaire dance as a relief from the economic woes of the Great Depression. The duo appeared in nine more films together and became one of the most iconic on-screen couples in cinema history.

This is a scene from their 1936 film, "Swing Time":

But only a year later, "A Damsel in Distress" was the first of their movies to lose money. By 1939, Astaire and Rogers were arguing over studio fees and decided to go separate ways. They wouldn't appear together on screen again until 1949's "The Barkleys of Broadway."

So when 1941's "Second Chorus" came along, Astaire was once again at a crossroads in his career. With his RKO contract up, Astaire again tried to redefine his persona after losing a partner. His fame allowed him to keep making movies, so he worked at several studios and with many different leading ladies including Rita Hayworth, Eleanor Powell and Paulette Goddard, whom he starred with in "Second Chorus."

While his career was in flux, Astaire's personal life was stable. He married socialite Phyllis Baker Potter shortly before moving to Hollywood in 1933, and the couple had two children together, Fred Jr. and Ava. The couple remained married until Potter succumbed to cancer in 1954.

Here's Fred and Ava Astaire at her debutante ball in 1959 alongside Anthony Quinn and his daughter, Catalina:

Astaire and Rogers weren't the only ones going through bitter contract disputes in World War II-era Hollywood.

In 1941, the A.F.L. Screen Cartoon Guild went on strike at Walt Disney Studios. Its members were angry that Disney wasn't a union operation. The bitter strike became even nastier when Walt Disney sent photos of certain picketers to the House Un-American Activities Committee claiming they were communists. The federal government eventually settled the strike while Disney was out of the country, forcing the studio to employ union workers.

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Posted 'The Snows of Kilimanjaro' in Classic Cool Context to Classic Cool Theatertag:www.kcet.org,2012:/shows/classic_cool_theater//1762.523682012-11-10T00:19:06Z2012-11-13T02:13:49ZGregory Peck stars in an adaptation of one of Hemingway's best-ever short stories.Omar Shamouthttp://www.kcet.org/cgi-bin/mt/mt-cp.cgi?__mode=view&blog_id=1762&id=7164
This Saturday at 9 p.m. , KCET brings you the film adaptation of Ernest Hemingway's short story, "The Snows of Kilimanjaro," which stars Gregory Peck as a writer who falls ill while on safari in Africa and recounts the story of his life to his wife, played by Ava Gardner.

Like Alfred Hitchcock's seminal "Rear Window," which was released two years later, "The Snows of Kilimanjaro" explores the fragile emotional state of an immobile artist. Both Gregory Peck's "Harry Street" and Jimmy Stewart's "L.B. Jefferies" are forced to relive past romantic failures in the midst of immense danger - all while unable to move. In each film, that tension works to intense dramatic effect.

Here's the "Rear Window" trailer:

Take a closer look back

Audiences going to see "The Snows of Kilimanjaro" in 1952 were familiar with the exploits of adventurers across the globe. It was in that year that a sherpa from Nepal stepped into the international spotlight. Tenzing Norgay guided Swiss climber Raymond Lambert up Mount Everest's treacherous Western Cwm after making it through the Khumbu Icefall. The pair reached a height of about 28,199 feet (8,595 meters) on the southeast ridge. They did this without functioning oxygen tanks for the final 200 meters, setting a new climbing altitude record.

Lambert's expedition paved the way for Norgay's 1953 ascent of Everest with famed New Zealand-born mountaineer Edmund Hillary. On that occasion, Norgay and his companion made it to the 29,028-foot (8,848-meter) summit.

"The Snows of Kilimanjaro" was directed by Henry King and also stars Susan Hayward. It received Academy Award nominations for Best Cinematography and Best Art Direction.

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Posted 'Meet John Doe' in Classic Cool Context to Classic Cool Theatertag:www.kcet.org,2012:/shows/classic_cool_theater//1762.516802012-11-02T22:08:52Z2012-11-13T02:16:13ZWe're offering you a peek at the America -- and the Los Angeles -- that received "Meet John Doe on May 3, 1941.Omar Shamouthttp://www.kcet.org/cgi-bin/mt/mt-cp.cgi?__mode=view&blog_id=1762&id=7164This Saturday at 9 p.m., KCET brings you Frank Capra's 1941 drama "Meet John Doe," which stars Barbara Stanwyck as a journalist who fabricates the harrowing story of a suicidal man to generate readers and save her job. This is the latest entry in KCET's "Classic, Cool Theater" series, which aims to give you not only a great film but also a vintage cartoon, two newsreels and an of-the-era musical number. All those extras add up to what makes "Classic Cool Theater" so special: context. In the spirit of this unique package, we're offering you a peek at the America -- and the Los Angeles -- that received "Meet John Doe on May 3, 1941.

In "Meet John Doe," Barbara Stanwyck plays a newspaper columnist who tells a lie to keep her career alive. This brings up an important philosophical question: If you can't trust a newspaper to give you the truth, then whom can you trust?

Journalists with questionable ethics make for interesting protagonists. When the first amendment is violated by the very people who have taken up the mantle to defend it, the foundations of democracy are shaken to the very core.

Here are a few examples of how Hollywood has explored this theme through the years.

In John Ford's 1962 classic "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance," Jimmy Stewart portrays a politician whose career is built on a lie and how a journalist chooses to report it:

"State of Play," a 2009 thriller based on the BBC television series, follows a reporter willing to bend the rules in order to find the truth behind a murder:

Take a closer look back

Nineteen forty-one was a landmark year for newspapers in Los Angeles. That year, Almena Lomax founded the Los Angeles Tribune, which covered the city's African-American population and exposed racism within the Los Angeles Police Department. As the New York Times reported, the Tribune's "multiracial staff included Wakako Yamauchi, who became a prominent playwright, and the short-story writer Hisaye Yamamoto DeSoto. Both were Japanese-Americans who had been in internment camps during World War II."

The Los Angeles Sentinel noted in its obituary of Lomax that the civil-rights activist made a number of demands of California gubernatorial candidate Edmund G. "Pat" Brown in order for him to gain the Tribune's endorsement in 1958. Among them, she demanded an apology for the internment of Japanese Americans following WWII.

Here's a photo of Los Angeles police officers confiscating the property of Japanese residents on Dec. 29, 1941:

"Meet John Doe is based on the short story "A Reputation" by Richard Connell, which was published by Century Magazine in 1922. The film also stars Gary Cooper.

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Posted 'The Last Man on Earth,' in Classic Cool Context to Classic Cool Theatertag:www.kcet.org,2012:/shows/classic_cool_theater//1762.515572012-10-31T17:53:35Z2012-10-31T17:59:13ZVincent Price stars in the first cinematic adaptation of a story that would later become "The Omega Man" and "I Am Legend." Get the history behind "The Last Man on Earth" here!Omar Shamouthttp://www.kcet.org/cgi-bin/mt/mt-cp.cgi?__mode=view&blog_id=1762&id=7164Happy Halloween! This Wednesday at 9 p.m. , KCET brings you 1964's "The Last Man on Earth," a sci-fi horror classic about a doctor who believes himself to be the sole survivor of a plague that's turned the human race into vampires. This is the latest entry in KCET's "Classic, Cool Theater" series, which aims to give you not only a great film but also a vintage cartoon, two newsreels and an of-the-era musical number. All those extras add up to what makes "Classic Cool Theater" so special: context. In the spirit of this unique package, we're offering you a peek at the America -- and the Los Angeles -- that received "The Last Man on Earth" on March 8, 1964.

Vincent Price became a vampire hunting "legend" long before Will Smith did. Both "The Last Man on Earth" and 1971's Charlton Heston starrer, "The Omega Man," are adaptations of Richard Matheson's 1954 horror novel, "I Am Legend." The book was most recently turned into a summer blockbuster of the same name starring Will Smith in 2007.

Here are the trailers to both of those films:

Take a Closer Look Back

While the plague in "The Last Man on Earth" that turned humans into bloodthirsty vampires is fictional, the United States experienced its largest rubella epidemic ever in 1964. The disease, also known as the "German measles," is a viral infection spread through the air that causes a rash on the skin. That year, 20,000 cases of Congenital Rubella Syndrome were diagnosed, which occurs when an infected mother passes the disease on to her child during pregnancy, leading to deafness, eye abnormalities and heart disease in the baby, among other symptoms. The vaccine wasn't licensed until five years later.

It just so happens that a blood-related disorder was responsible for bringing the Beatles to Los Angeles in 1964. No one in the group suffered from the condition, but they all showed up to a Hemophilia Foundation fundraiser thrown by the head of Capitol Records: Alan Livingston. Here's news footage from the event:

"The Last Man on Earth" was filmed in Rome, Italy and also stars Franca Bettoja, Emma Danieli and Giacomo Rossi Stuart. The movie was directed by Sidney Salkow and Ubaldo Ragona.

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Posted 'Bride of the Gorilla' in Classic Cool Context to Classic Cool Theatertag:www.kcet.org,2012:/shows/classic_cool_theater//1762.514852012-10-26T21:42:42Z2012-10-26T21:51:40ZA movie about Raymond Burr transforming into a maniacal gorilla seems as good a motivation as any to reflect on the history of the L.A. Zoo, right?Omar Shamouthttp://www.kcet.org/cgi-bin/mt/mt-cp.cgi?__mode=view&blog_id=1762&id=7164
This Saturday at 9 p.m., KCET brings you "Bride of the Gorilla," a schlocky horror film set in the South American jungle. Raymond Burr plays a plantation owner cursed to transform into a gorilla after murdering Barbara Payton's husband. This is the latest entry in KCET's "Classic, Cool Theater" series, which aims to give you not only a great film but also a vintage cartoon, two newsreels and an of-the-era musical number. All those extras add up to what makes "Classic Cool Theater" so special: context. In the spirit of this unique package, we're offering you a peek at the America -- and the Los Angeles -- that received "Bride of the Gorilla" in October, 1951.

Hollywood is seemingly full of bad girl actresses these days. With the glut of tabloid coverage, it would be easy to think the current crop of young starlets gets in to more trouble than those of any bygone decade. But just because TMZ wasn't around in the 1940s and 50s doesn't mean all of young Hollywood acted like Doris Day. Barbara Payton, the female lead in "Bride of the Gorilla," has a story that rivals any Hollywood tragedy.

When this movie was filmed in 1951, the 23-year-old, Texas-born Barbara Payton was under contract with Warner Bros. The film's producer, Jack Broder, asked Jack Warner if he would loan her to Universal, to which he gladly agreed after numerous reports of her infidelity. Payton was engaged to actor Franchot Tone at the time, but was also having an affair with Tom Neal. She eventually married Tone for 53 days after Neal beat Tone so badly that he was in a coma for several days. But she went back to Neal soon after.

Here she is visiting Tone in the hospital. Note she is also sporting a black eye:

Payton's party girl reputation eventually made her uninsurable as a major studio actress and she went to work for Hammer Films in the U.K. But she wasn't afraid to play up her real-life persona on screen. This is the trailer for the 1953 film, "Bad Blonde":

By the late 1950s, Payton was struggling with drug and alcohol addiction. She was also arrested for writing bad checks and prostitution.

Here she is in 1962 after showing up to the Hollywood police station with visible scars and bruises. She refused to file any complaint:

Payton died in 1967 of heart and liver failure.

Take a Closer Look Back

While the gorilla in "Bride of the Gorilla" was really just actor Steve Calvert in a suit, Los Angeles residents had been able to visit wild animals in person at the Griffith Park Zoo since 1913. That facility was the forerunner to today's Los Angeles Zoo.

Here's an abandoned cage from the Griffith Park Zoo that's still standing. The surrounding area is now a popular picnic ground:

The zoo was greatly expanded in the 1930s as a Works Progress Administration project, but by the 1950s it had fallen into disrepair. The Los Angeles Daily News called it an "inadequate, ugly, poorly designed and under-financed collection of beat-up cages."

The Griffith Park Zoo was closed in 1965, a year before the opening of the new Los Angeles Zoo.

While Payton's co-star in "Bride of the Gorilla" ended up being Raymond Burr, the plot line of a man who turns into a bloodthirsty creature at night brings to mind one of the film's other stars, Lon Chaney, who made the "Wolf Man" character famous in 1941.

Director Curt Siodmak originally considered Chaney for Burr's role, but thought he looked too old.

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Posted 'The Last Time I Saw Paris' in Classic Cool Context to Classic Cool Theatertag:www.kcet.org,2012:/shows/classic_cool_theater//1762.513682012-10-19T19:00:00Z2012-10-22T17:38:46ZA romantic drama that follows the tumultuous love affair between two American expats who meet in Paris on V.E. Day.Omar Shamouthttp://www.kcet.org/cgi-bin/mt/mt-cp.cgi?__mode=view&blog_id=1762&id=7164
This Saturday at 9 p.m., KCET brings you "The Last Time I Saw Paris," a romantic drama that follows the tumultuous love affair between two American expats who meet in Paris on V.E. Day. Van Johnson and Elizabeth Taylor star in the MGM film that also features the first on-screen appearance of Roger Moore, who would go on to play perhaps the studio's most iconic character: James Bond. This is the latest entry in KCET's "Classic, Cool Theater" series, which aims to give you not only a great film but also a vintage cartoon, two newsreels and an of-the-era musical number. All those extras add up to what makes "Classic Cool Theater" so special: context. In the spirit of this unique package, we're offering you a peek at the America -- and the Los Angeles -- that received "The Last Time I Saw Paris" on November 18, 1954.

The romantic misadventures of Americans in Paris have featured in many a cinematic narrative. From the dark and violent "Last Tango in Paris," to the frothy intellectualism of Woody Allen's "Midnight in Paris," there are countless examples of Americans who just can't seem to get a handle on romance in the "City of Lights" -- unless, you're Gene Kelly, of course.

But writers like Van Johnson's Charles Willis character in "The Last Time I Saw Paris" seem to have it particularly bad when it comes to finding true love in the French capitol.

Take a closer look back

Perhaps this archetype can be explained by the imposing historical figure of Ernest Hemingway. No one fits the mold of brooding, boozing American expat more than the legendary author.

A veteran of World War I, Hemingway worked as a reporter in Paris in the 1920s while writing "The Sun Also Rises." He associated with other expatriate artists he dubbed the "Lost Generation" including Gertrude Stein, Pablo Picasso, and Ezra Pound.

But his love life suffered while his work blossomed. A year after publishing "The Sun Also Rises" in 1926, Hemingway divorced his first wife, Hadley Richardson, after she discovered he was having an affair with Pauline Pfeiffer. Hemingway married Pfeiffer soon after, and the couple moved out of Paris. They remained together until 1940 when an affair between Hemingway and journalist Martha Gellhorn led to another divorce.

Johnson's co-star, Elizabeth Taylor, was no stranger to the rollercoaster of marriage herself. By the time "The Last Time I Saw Paris" was released in 1954, the 22-year-old actress was already on to her second husband -- British screen-veteran Michael Wilding. Her first marriage to Conrad Hilton ended after eight reportedly unhappy months due to Hilton's alcoholism and abuse.

Here's a photo of Taylor and Hilton in Long Beach in 1950 after the plane they were travelling on crashed through a fence at the city's airport:

In the film, Willis and Taylor's Helen character believe they've made a fortune when an oil lease they received as a wedding gift has supposedly come good. During World War II, the U.S. consumed six billion barrels of oil and domestic supply was depleted. Oil wells sprung up across the country after the war, including in Southern California, as the popularity of automobiles grew.

Speaking of automobiles, while Willis' marriage disintegrates in "The Last Time I Saw Paris," he whisks socialite Lorraine Quarl, played by Eva Gabor, to Monte Carlo for the annual car rally. Here's footage of the Monte Carlo Rally from 1954.

(Narration in Finnish)

The film was directed by Richard Brooks and also features Donna Reed, Walter Pidgeon and Kurt Kasznar.

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Posted 'A Star Is Born' in Classic Cool Context to Classic Cool Theatertag:www.kcet.org,2012:/shows/classic_cool_theater//1762.509642012-10-12T18:01:49Z2012-10-16T19:59:09ZJanet Gaynor stars in the original 1937 version of this film. It was the first color film to be nominated for Best Picture.Omar Shamouthttp://www.kcet.org/cgi-bin/mt/mt-cp.cgi?__mode=view&blog_id=1762&id=7164
This Saturday at 9 p.m. , KCET brings you "A Star is Born," a Technicolor classic from the early years of Hollywood's golden era. Janet Gaynor features as a starry-eyed ingénue in the making who finds out that her big break, and the man who gave it to her, came with a price. This is the latest entry in KCET's "Classic, Cool Theater" series, which aims to give you not only a great film but also a vintage cartoon, two newsreels and an of-the-era musical number. All those extras add up to what makes "Classic Cool Theater" so special: context. In the spirit of this unique package, we're offering you a peek at the America -- and the Los Angeles -- that received "A Star is Born" on April 27, 1937.

Nowadays, we take the amazing colors on display in Hollywood blockbusters for granted. Dorothy's ruby-red slippers in "The Wizard of Oz," the orange flames enveloping Atlanta in "Gone With the Wind," or even the characteristic blue skin of "The Smurfs." In an era when computers create a thousand shades of green to build a digital forest, it's hard to imagine a time when people thought color movies were nothing more than a passing fad.

But that was the mindset of some when "A Star is Born" was released in 1937. But it became the first film shot in color to be nominated for Best Picture, and the Academy was so wowed by the colors onscreen that members awarded cinematographer W. Howard Greene with a special award for color photography.

The age of Technicolor had officially begun.

And it's still going:

Take a Closer Look Back

"A Star is Born" made the most money of any film in 1937. Its story of a doe-eyed outside living out her Hollywood dreams struck a chord with audiences, but other movies had found success during the same decade with similar storylines. In fact, RKO Pictures wanted to sue "A Star is Born" producer David. O. Selznick for plagiarism after the studio's legal team thought the plot was a little too similar to its film, "What Price, Hollywood?" The suit, however, was never filed.

Here's a scene from George Cukor's 1932 film, "What Price, Hollywood?", starring Lowell Sherman as famous film director Maximilian Carey:

Coincidentally, Cukor went on to direct the 1954 remake of "A Star is Born" starring Judy Garland and James Mason.

The character of Norman Maine, portrayed by Fredric March, struggles with alcoholism throughout the film. The year 1935, two years before the release of "A Star is Born," marks an important milestone in the history of the disease in the United States. In May of that year, the first meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous was held in Akron, Ohio after a chance meeting between the movement's founders Bill Wilson and Dr. Bob Smith.

In 1938, public discourse of the disease became more common as both the The New York Times and Science magazine published articles about the scientific research being pursued at the time into the negative effects of alcohol.

The film also stars Adolphe Menjou, May Robson and Andy Devine. It was shot at many famous locations around L.A. including Club Trocadero, the Hollywood Bowl, Santa Anita racetrack, the Ambassador Hotel and Grauman's Chinese Theater.